Refrigerator.



Patented Mar. 23, 1909.

REFRIGERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE-20,1907.

J. B. DUNKLE.

WTNESSES:

INVENTOR. Jerome B .1) unklz.

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.IEROME B. DUNKLE, OF VEEDERSBURG, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO SAMUEL S.

DUNKLE, OF VEEDERSBURG, INDIANA.

-REFRIGERATOR.

Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented March 23, 1909.

Application filed June 20, 1907. Serial No. 879,890.

than others.

This invention relates chiefly to the improved means herein set forth for controlling the communication between the chambers of the refrigerator whereby when one is o ened, the communication will be shut off, an when it is closed, the communication will be restored. This is for thepnr ose of economy in the refrigerating material? The nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following (lescri tlon and claims.

In the drawings igure 1 is a front elevation of the refrigerator. Fi 2 is avertical section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 2, showing the communication between said chambers closed. Fig. 4 is the same as Fig. 3 with the ventilators opened.

-In detail this refrigerator is provided with an outside wall casing 10, a horizontal partition 11 for forming the ice chamber 12,

3 and a vertical partition 13 for forming the :chambers 14 and 15. The chamber 15 may be called the retail chamber, which is frequently o ened, while the chamber 14 may be called t e wholesale chamber or cham- 1n sliced are hung on the-hooks 16 in the retall chamber 15 and are accessible through a vertically slidin door 18. A horizontal shelf 19 is midway o the retail chamber and extends out beyond the casing. There is a door 20 to the ice box or chamber 12. A passa eway 21extends from the chamber 12 to t e chamber 14 but none to the chamber 15. The passage 21 is made through the horizontal partition 11 along the rear edge and also I chamber being in communication only with the wholesale chamber, and means being provided for closing the communication between the retail and wholesale chambers, whereby when the retail chamber is opened it can be cut off entirely from the wholesale chamber, and since it is always cut off directly from the refrigerating chamber, there is no appreciable loss of refrigeration while the retail chamber is being used, the wholesale chamber remaining closed. As soon as the retail chamber is closed and the communication between that and the wholesale chamber opened, it will be cooled from the wholesale chamber. Hence the refri 'eratin chamber cools only the wholesale cham er and the retail "chamber is cooled only by the wholesale chamber, and the communication between them can be cut oil when the retail chamber is in use.

The partition plate 13 does not extend either to the bottom or to the top of the construction in which, or the chambers between which it is mounted, as appears in Fig. 3, so as to leave a considerable opening 25 at the upper end and also at the lower end for very full and free communication between the chambers 14 and 15 whereby the cham ber 15 is kept cool. These openings 25 are closed by plates 'or dampers 26 slidably mounted at their ends in the side walls of the refrigerator. The upper one is stopped in its downward movement by sto s 27. These slidable lates 26 are controlle by a handle 30 outside the refrigerator under the shelf 19 on a shaft 31 which is mounted in the front wall of the refrigerator and the partition 13 so that it can rotate, and to its inner end a lever 32 is centrally secured, and connecting bars 33 are pivotally connected to thecnds of the lever 32 and to the plates 26, so that when the handle 30 is I turned in one direction, said plates 26 will be moved toward each other and the communication opened between the two chambers, and the reverse movement will close said openings.

In 0 eration before the sliding door 18 is o ene the handle 30 is operated to close t 1e openings 25. Then whi e meat is being removed from or replaced in the chamber 15, there will be no escape of cold air from the chamber 14. After the door 18 is closed, then the handle 30 is reversed and communication reestablished between the chambers 14 and 15. The openings 25 by being at the bottom and at the top of said chambers permit the free movement of the air currents within the refri erator so that the parts thereof will be co d and of substantially the same temperature.

The arrows in Fig. 2 indicate the direction of movement of the cold air from the refrigerating chamber. It passes from said chamber through the passage 21 into the chamber 14 and thence from the bottom and top thereof into the upper and lower parts of chamber 15.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A refrigerator including an F ice chamher, a second chamber in communication with the ice chamber, a third chamber adjacent the second chamber with a vertical partition between them that does not extend to the top-and bottom of said chambers whereby openings are left at the top and bottom of said partition, there being no communication between the ice and third chambers, vertically slidable I plates for closing the openings between the second and third chambers, a rocking lever mounted in said partition, connecting bars between the ends of said levers and said sliding plates, and means operable outside the refrigerator for rocking said lever so that said-sliding plates will simultaneously be moved into an opening or closing position.

2. A refrigerator including an ice chamher, a second chamber in communication with the ice chamber, a third chamber adjacent the second chamber with a vertical partition between them that does not extend to the top and bottom of said chambers whereby openings are left at the top third chambers, and pivoted connecting bars between said sliding plates and the end of said'rocking lever.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto af-' fixed my signature in the presence of the witnesses herein named.

JEROME B. DUNKLF, Witnesses:

O. C. DUNKLE, S. J. LUDLOW. 

